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Heller 1/400 Lutzow Question

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  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: Amherst, MA
Heller 1/400 Lutzow Question
Posted by M1 A1 A2 Tanker on Sunday, May 23, 2010 4:41 AM

Got this at a club raffle last month. Older boxing looks OK.

But was wondering as this would be my first large scale ship, how is the kit? Would I be better off Evil Baying it and getting a more modern one?

It also come with a Tom's Model-Works photo-etch set.

 

Thanks in advance...............

 

Scott

 

 

 

“Computers are like Old Testament gods; lots of rules and no mercy.”  ~ Joseph Campbell

 

 

  • Member since
    January 2006
Posted by EPinniger on Sunday, May 23, 2010 6:46 AM

The Heller "Panzerschiff" kits (they made all 3) are pretty good for their age, among the best of Heller's 1/400 warships. They aren't anywhere near the standard of the new 1/350 Graf Spees from Trumpeter and Academy, but have no major "issues" and are a very good basis for a decent model. I've built their Scheer and have the Lutzow unbuilt, I also had the Graf Spee but sold it when I got the Academy 1/350.

All 3 kits accurately represent the differences between the two ships, IIRC Lutzow is in a late-war fit (converting it to the original "Deutschland" would be a lot of work), Scheer is mid-war and Spee 1939 (River Plate) fit.

Since you got the Tom's PE set with the kit, I'd say build it rather than selling it (the Heller Panzerschiff kits rarely sell for much more than retail on eBay, if that) unless you aren't keen on building in the slightly smaller and now "obsolete" scale of 1/350 - if so, I wouldn't be surprised if Trumpeter produced a 1/350 Lutzow/Deutschland (and Scheer) sooner or later!

One more aftermarket accessory you might find worth buying is Tom's Modelworks "German Naval Doors" set, which will improve the near-featureless appearance of the superstructure bulkheads a lot (a problem with most Heller kits). The Tom's Lutzow-specific PE set doesn't include any doors or hatches.

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